Screw insert



vided with threads I4 (Fig. 4).

Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED ...STATES PATENT OFFICEA u v2,571,290 i i1 SCREW INSERT James E. Quigley, Fanwood, N. J., assignorl to WesternElectric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application March 30, 1946, Serial No. 658,478 1 Claim. (o1.151-33) This invention relates to inserts, particularly of theinternally threaded type for attachment to thin sheet material for usein mounting articles upon the sheet material by the use of screws.

In the manufacture of various types of electrical apparatus, thin sheetmaterial, such as aluminum, is desirable to serve las panels forelectrical units, the only dimculty arising, however, in the mounting ofsuch units on the material or panel. To construct the panel of a sheetmaterial sufciently thick to accommodate the mounting screws for theelectrical units, it would be necessary to more than double thethickness of the material. Then too, material such as aluminum is toosoft to assure permanent and satisfactory mounting of electrical unitsby the aid of screws.

An object of the invention is to provide an insert which is simple instructure and easily attachable to thin sheet material to provideadequate bearing for the thread of a mounting screw.

The invention comprises an insert including a body with a boss integraltherewith and receivable in an aperture of a thin sheet of material. Theboss and the adjacent portion of the body have a threaded aperturetherein to receive a mounting screw through the aid of which an articlemay be secured tol the sheet of material. 'Ihe insert is secured to thematerial by a rivetlike portion integral With the body, receivable inanother aperture of the material spaced from the rst mentioned apertureand having a recess in its outer end forming an annular flange which maybe bent outwardly to rigidly secure the body to the material.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when .considered in conjunction with the followingaccompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an enlarged sectional view ofthe insert prior to the forming of the threads therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a panel illustrating pairs of the inserts;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the panel shown in Fig. 2, thisview being taken substanially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, attention is rst directed to Fig. 1 whichillustrates the insert as including a body I substantially pear shapedin general contour and having an annular integral boss I I. An apertureI2 extends through the body and the boss II and is subsequently pro- Arivet portion 2 I5 formed integral with the smaller end of the body I0has a recess I6 in its outer end to form annular flange I'I.

Although the sheet of material or panel I8V appears to be ofconsiderable thickness in Fig. 4, attention is directed to Figs. 2 and 3which illustrate the full size of the insert and the material I8 inreality is quite thin. An opening 2D is formed in the material for theboss II and a smaller opening 2I is formed at a spaced position from theopening 20 in the material for the rivet I5. After the threads I4 areformed in the insert, the insert is placed with the boss II and therivet I5 disposed in their respective openings, after which outerportions of the flange I'I are spun or otherwise formed outwardly torivet the insert in place as illustrated in Fig. 4.

When a suitable number of inserts have been mounted at selectedpositions on the panel, arti.- cles or units 22 and 23 may be secured inplace by the aid of mounting screws 24.

A portion of the insert functions as a nut for the mounting screwproviding material of suitable thickness for the threads of the screwand also material of a given hardness to provide a satisfactory mountingfor the article or unit. The rivet portion of the insert functions firstin securing the insert to the material at a position spaced sufficientlyfar from the main opening in the material for the mounting screw so thatthe material is not weakened and also serves to hold the nut portionagainst rotation during the driving of the screw in place or theAremoval of the screw. Another advantage in spacing the rivet portionfrom the boss lies in the fact that the necessary tool may be used informing the rivet during the securing of the insert in place withoutcausing damage to the threads I4.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention as denecl by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A screw support for a thin metal member to provide adequate bearing forthe thread of a screw to secure an article to the front surface of themember, the support `comprising a thin metal member with spaced openingstherethrough, an element thicker than the member and having a body ofsufficient size to cover the back surface of the member between theopenings and for given distances beyond the openings, a boss shortof theedge of the body, integral therewith, fitting slidably in one of theopenings of the member, having its outer end terminating at or short ofthe front surface of the member and having a threaded aperture thereinfor the screw extending through the body to urge the body toward theback surface while securing the article to the front surface, a rivetintegral with the body short of its edge, receivable in the otheropening of the member and having its outer end swaged outwardly andterminating in the plane of the front 10 surface or short thereof thusconstituting the sole means for securing the body to the member prior tosecuring of the article in place.

JAMES E. QUIGLEY.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 321,260 Tillotson June 30, 1885752,034 Cliff Feb. 16, 1904 820,586 Marshall May 15, 1906 1,644,153Schriner Oct. 4, 1927 2,026,757 Swanstrom Jan. 7, 1936 2,168,721Tinnerman Aug. 8, 1939 2,286,982 Todd June 16, 1942 .2,486,769 Watson.Jr Nov. 1, 1949

